Wednesday, February 16, 2005

I picked up Matt Pond PA's latest. An EP of winter songs, some covers, some originals. There is a great cover of Neil Young's "winterlong" and the cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "in the aeroplane over the sea" is hauntingly beautiful and tastefully done. NMH's version is of course the most hauntingly beautiful, but Matt Pond certainly does know his way around a cover.

I was however pretty discouraged with Bozeman's music scene when I tried to start conversations about the EP with three different clerks at Cactus Records. None of three had ever heard of Neutral Milk, and only one had heard of Matt Pond, although he thought he (not "they") was bluegrass. Maybe I'm a snob. No, I am a snob. And I'm sorry. But please, you work in a record store. Hit "stop" on the Modest Mouse already and educate yourself.

From the used store, I need to pick up the Talking Head's collective (I'm a little behind on them) maybe some New Order, and TMBG's Lincoln.

7 comments:

I'm incredibly un-hip when it comes to music, but I do happen to have one Matt Pond PA track, "Grave's Disease," that I find utterly gorgeous. Maybe I should buy the EP. I'm a big fan of the NMH record, and of course, Neil Young. It should be noted that the definitive version of "Winterlong" is that by the Pixies. They OWN that song. I was shocked and delighted, then, to see them perform it live during their first Eugene show last April.

How can you say you've seen Pixies do Neil Young live in Eugene and then call yourself unhip? I do agree that you can't be considered fully hip until you buy some Matt Pond PA. Though I think it would be a mistake to begin with the EP. The EP is not their songs and has a different sound (although it does kickass). I would suggest Measure or Green Fury as a starting point. Beautiful records. Emblem, their newest, is incredible. I'll bring some along for the trip to Vancouver.

what's with the modest mouse comment? tis the ugly thing i see i say to see the ones, as such is you, shun the great ones when they are on the radio. tellinglyso. modest mouse has been around for a very very long time and folks want to hate because the "uneducated" listens to them now. wow, is the silly cycle.

Oh Anon, please do not think that I am shunning Modest Mouse for being on the radio, or even putting them down at all and for any reason. I am a fan and have been since Lonesome Crowded West (although I admit I do not have this newest LP). It is the record store clerk I am putting down for diversifying its portfolio. If you work in a record store and have the cool hair over your ears and you do not know Neutral Milk Hotel, the band that put out, undisputedly, one of the most respected records of an entire decade once removed from the current one, then you should take Modest Mouse, again, a cool-ass band on or off the radio, off of repeat and put in NMH, or something else equally cool. Are you with me, Anon (who I am guessing to be Heidi Lynn Staples from the lingual gymnastics)?

tony-- to each his own of course as always. though i for one think the absolute very far overthere opposite of "overrated". yes, anne frank was tragic, her diary; astonishing and NMH is equally so and are to be treasured. god, "dramamine". 'i think i know my geography, pretty damn well.' i remember my girlfriend hearing that song driving through wyoming and wet to fuck, had to pull over, she claims the sound did it. that is beside the three point line. again to each his own, but 'overrated', i mean i can't stand whining connor oberst, but would never say overrated. ugly cassanova=holy smokes. all of it ever. saw modest mouse in dc the past few year and holy on earth! i don't know, i have been a fan for a long long long time of 'em (not to claim this or that, just saying) and overrated i don't see, extremely talented. makes a very violent alley beating, a heartache, a contradiction, a hope, a done, another violent occurence coalesce and make a single moment...as for people with hair over their ears...they must, it is noone's fault but our own.